Page 228 - Envoys and Political Communication in the Late Antique West 411 - 533

Envoys and Political Communication,411–533

office and honours; the leading families and the court of Ravenna might
95
have become alienated. Senarius’ rise coincided with the period of close
alliance between Ravenna and Rome. At some time after his tenure
as comes patrimonii he was made patricius, but the epitaph is evidence
that he held no further high office. The tone of the epitaph, however,
makes itunlikely thatSenarius harboured feelings of resentmenttowards
the Ostrogothic regime. Perhaps the termination of his career represents
no more than a lapse into otium; the office of comes patrimonii was one
which the incumbent could exploit for self-enrichment, and was perhaps
given as a reward before retirement from public life. 96
Itis unlikely thatSenarius came from such a greatfamily as thatof
Faustus or Albinus. His career of palatine service, unbroken by pro-
longed periods of otium, is uncharacteristic of members of the higher
aristocracy. 97 His status in the late 500s stemmed from court service,
rather than family prestige. He seems, however, to have been of senato-
rial class. 98
Senarius’ career was firmly based in Ravenna, not in the senatorial mi-
99
lieu of Rome. Cassiodorus mentions Senarius’ proximity to Theoderic:
‘employed in the judgement of his ruler’, he was ‘worthy of discourse
with the king’, and privy to the secrets of the royal palace. 100 Itis unclear
in what capacity Senarius had such access to the king. His position appears
to have been ambiguous. Cassiodorus never names Senarius’ actual post
prior to his appointment as comes, butrefers to his ‘double service’, engag-
ing in royal council while executing duties including the implementation
of royal commands; dictation, stenography, and perhaps legal duties; and
the completion of embassies. In stating that these duties fell beyond the
scope of any one office, Cassiodorus acknowledges that Senarius’ po-
sition had been outside traditional administrative arrangements, and his
career unlike the conventional cursus honorum. 101 Similarities can been

95 Honours of Roman senatorial class under Odoacer and Theoderic: Alan Cameron and Diane
Schauer, ‘The LastConsul: Basilius and His Diptych’, Journal of Roman Studies 72 (1982), 138–9.
Change in Theoderic’s attitude in 510s: Sundwall, Abhandlung, 215–17; Bury i, 466; Moorhead,
Theoderic, 147–53; Thomas S. Brown, ‘Everyday Life in Ravenna under Theoderic: An Example
of his “Tolerance” and “Prosperity”?’, in Teoderico il Grande e i Goti d’Italia, 98. Butcf. Ensslin,
Theoderich, 295–6.
96 97
Cass., Variae iv, 4.2; vi, 9.2. Jones, LRE i, 382–3, 558.
98
Cass., Variae iv, 4.5: originis quoque simili claritate resplendet.
99
On senatorial and palatine careers: Matthews, Western Aristocracies, 12–17; Matthews, ‘Anicius
Manlius Severinus Boethius’, 26–8.
100
Cass., Variae iv, 4.3: ad imperantis conversus arbitrium . . . ad colloquia dignus,cf. iv, 3.2: consilii
particeps. Arcana: iv, 3.3, 4.4.
101
Duties outside any one post: Cass., Variae iv, 3.2, 4.3. The phrase sub exceptionis officio (iv, 3.3; iv,
4.3) suggests that Senarius fulfilled the tasks of the exceptores, general clerks and shorthand writ-
ers in all palatine, praefectorial, and military officia; Not. dig., ‘Conspectus officiorum civilium’
202